Moon 3
The Moon of Transformation
Moon Three of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing is called the Moon of Transformation, and is associated with the herb wormwood (Artemesia absinthium). It is the third of four moons during the Time of Ceridwen, and the lunar month begins on the first full moon when the sun is in Capricorn; the full moon is in Cancer.
Although hidden in the depths of our unconscious mind, the workings of shadow affect every aspect of our being. As we undertake to understand the ways in which our shadow tendencies manifest in our lives by recognizing patterns of behavior and taking note of external challenges which trigger unconscious reactions, we must follow the flow of energy through every layer of our existence. From the Earthen matters of physical health, safety, and abundance, to the Watery realms of our emotional state and degree of trust in our intuition, to the Airy concerns of our perspectives, assumptions and thought patterns, and at last through to the Fiery affairs of our reactions, use of energy, and ability to change. However, it is not enough to know something about ourselves; we must also act to set change into motion. Knowledge applied is Wisdom obtained. Life brings with it many challenges, and one way or another, we are changed by them.
The Mythic Portion
Having received the three drops which bestowed upon him all Wisdom, Gwion knows that Ceridwen will want to destroy him for what he has done, and so runs away. Ceridwen is in quick pursuit, however, and Gwion seeks to evade her. He uses his newfound knowledge to shapeshift, and transforms into a hare. She, in turn, transforms into a greyhound, and just as she is about to catch him, Gwion leaps into the water in the shape of a salmon. Ceridwen follows as an otter, but again he eludes her by flying away in the form of a wren. Ceridwen chases him as a sharp-taloned hawk, and he falls to ground as a piece of grain, lost in the chaff of a winnowing floor. Ceridwen becomes a black hen, and scratches and pecks at the ground until she finds Gwion and devours him.
The Work of the Moon of Transformation
The transformational journey through the five elements can be a map for us to follow in our search for true Wisdom.
Earth—Hare/Greyhound
To seek the origins of the shadow we must first identify the ways in which it manifests in our lives. What does it prevent us from doing or being? How does it keep us from being whole? What destructive patterns do we find ourselves caught in? How do these wounds bleed away our life force and wear away our vital essence? In what ways do we carry our issues in our bodies? Are there chronic health issues to contend with or do they flare up acutely in times of stress as a reflection of an active manifestation of shadow? Do these issues affect particular systems of the body? Can these areas of physical weakness be clues to the nature of the fundamental issue—the core of the shadow?
Water—Salmon/Otter
Examining our emotional reactions to situations can provide us with very important information about ourselves in this quest for self-knowledge. What specific external situations tend to trigger unconscious reactions in us? What makes us feel anxious? Fearful? Worthless? Lost? What is the nature of this reaction? Do we act out? Back down? Withdraw? Fight back? Is the type of reaction dependent upon what triggers us? That is, does it differ depending on the particulars of the activating situation? How do we care for ourselves when we have been in situations that make us feel unsafe? What practices do we engage in which can help us to come back to a state of balance after the trigger is gone? How do we fortify ourselves from within so that our emotional reactions do not throw us off our mark? How do we establish good emotional boundaries with others? What is the baseline state of health, energy, or mental load that we need to maintain in order bring our best and most centered selves to any given situation?
Air—Wren/Hawk
An objective look at our preconceived ideas or perspectives about our life and the situations in it can yield great treasure. Many times, just shifting how we look at a situation will bring us to a different level of understanding, which in turn opens the way to a more positive relationship with the self and others. What have you accepted to be true about you and your life, without engaging in truly objective analysis? Where, how, and from whom did you come to learn what you believe to be true? Do these beliefs still hold true for this situation? Can you relate the formation of these outdated and potentially problematic perspectives back to the core issue you are exploring? How can you change the way this issue affects your life? Are you bringing a bias to this situation which has nothing to do with what is actually going on? How can you shift the situation by learning to change your mind about it? Is there another way to see this situation? How can you shift your attention to something else in order to disempower problematic thought processes by withdrawing your energy from them?
Fire—Grain/Hen
Becoming conscious of the ways in which we express ourselves in the world, and taking stock of the things upon which we expend our energy can give us some means of measuring the efficacy of our energetic investment in ourselves, our goals, and our life’s purpose. “If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always gotten,” the old saying goes. Fire is the will to act—we can chose a different route, or we can continue to participate in our patterns. Sometimes it takes making a break in the established energy to be able to see a situation clearly. In this way, fire catalyzes the changes we are seeking. Is there a different option that you can choose? One that may have seemed impossible before?
Searching Deeper
The magical sequence of transformations which make up the chase between Ceridwen and Gwion have long been believed to be a symbolically encoded Druidic initiatory rite. Although the ancient Celts are not known to have used a five element system, the classic elements present in the tale are a reflection of the medieval time period in which the story was committed to writing. As many modern Western spiritual and occult systems do work with the five elements, it can be meaningful to meditate upon the transformations of Ceridwen and Gwion as representing a series of changes through each of the elements:
|
Earth |
Hare |
Greyhound |
|
Water |
Salmon |
Otter |
|
Air |
Wren |
Hawk |
|
Fire |
Grain |
Hen |
The overarching element of Spirit or Aether can be seen as being represented by the ultimate transformation of Gwion: the old self—the “small innocent”—dies in order to be reborn of the goddess as the enlightened Taliesin. That the transmutation results from Ceridwen the Hen devouring and, ostensibly, ending the life of Gwion the Grain, a resonance with the theme of the harvest sacrifice is revealed. We can also find a reflection in the ritualistic death that some British bog bodies appear to have experienced. Lindow Man, for example, was believed to have been hit in the head with a blunt object, strangled with a garrote, and drowned in a bog, in what is seen as an example of what has come to be called “the threefold death.” This method of death may have represented a ritual sacrifice which took place in each of the Three Realms—that Celtic triune cosmological division of Land, Sky, and Sea, respectively.
Whether or not the myth of Ceridwen is a symbolic encoding of Druidic initiatory rites or is a guide to the bardic art of obtaining Awen, it comes to us today as a symbol system brimming with wisdom applicable and relevant to the life of the spiritual seeker. The pathway to wisdom is the pathway to the Divine—the pathway to wholeness. In its simplest terms, the spiritual path can be conceived as the movement from a place of disconnection to one of connection, from darkness into light, from individuality into unity, and from woundedness into wholeness.
Ceridwen’s knowledge of herbcraft suggests that she is a healer as well as the mistress of Awen. True healing is a function of the soul. In the end, there are no shortcuts to wisdom. As Gwion discovered, he needed to earn that which he had taken, and Ceridwen saw to it that he would experience all and integrate all through every level of being. She is the loving Great Mother, seeking what is best for her son, but she is also the Terrible/Devouring Mother—guiding Gwion out of his naive innocence into the death of the self which is the true initiation that bestows the gifts of Wisdom.
Seeking Sovereignty Within:
Journaling Prompts and Self-Reflective Questions
Moon Three
The Moon of Transformation
The Time of Ceridwen
Mythic Focus: Ceridwen pursues Gwion Bach in a shape-changing chase through the elements until she consumes him as a grain of wheat.
Personal Insights Around This Moon’s Mythic Portion: Meditate upon the portion of Ceridwen’s story associated with this moon, and reflect it within yourself. Her story is your story.
The Focus of the Moon of Transformation by Phase
Seek the lessons of the Moon of Transformation at each moon phase by using the Stations of the monthly Cycle of Healing; be sure to journal all of the insights, symbols, and guidance you receive from each goddess at each moon phase. As you work with the information you receive between each phase, perhaps following the daily process outlined in Chapter 3 of this book, and using tools such as trance postures and doorways as detailed in Avalon Within, be sure to record those insights in your journal as well.
Full Moon: Connect with Ceridwen at the full moon. Review the work of the previous month and the insights it brought to you, set up your work for the coming month, and ask for insights on the issue of focus which may have shifted or deepened due to the work you have done.
3rd Quarter: Station of Descent in the cycle of the moon. Bring the issue of focus to Rhiannon to explore through the filters of the Station of Descent and the Moon of Transformation.
Dark Moon: Station of Confrontation in the cycle of the moon. Bring the issue of focus to Ceridwen to explore through the filters of the Station of Confrontation and the Moon of Transformation.
1st Quarter: Station of Emergence in the cycle of the moon. Bring the issue of the focus to Blodeuwedd to explore through the filters of the Station of Emergence and the Moon of Transformation.
Night before the Full Moon: Station of Resolution in the cycle of the moon. Bring the issue of focus to Arianrhod to explore through the filters of the Station of Resolution and the Moon of Transformation.
At any point in the month, bring the issue of focus to Branwen to explore through the Station of Integration and the Moon of Transformation. Some women will do this on the night after the dark moon in counterpoint to working with Arianrhod on the night before the full moon.
Herbal Ally for the Moon of Transformation
Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium)
Creating the Mother Elixir: On the night of the full moon, create your Wormwood Lunar Elixir using the directions found on page 105 of Chapter 4. Be sure to label and date the bottle you are using to store the Mother Elixir. Journal any of your experiences around the creation of the Wormwood Elixir.
Prepare the Daughter Elixir: After you have made the Mother Elixir, use the directions found on page 107 of Chapter 4 to prepare a dosage bottle for use in the daily experience of this elixir throughout the month. Remember to use a blue or amber dropper bottle for this purpose, and to clearly label your Daughter Elixir.
Daily Work with the Wormwood Elixir: As discussed in Chapter 4, begin your daily exploration of the Wormwood Elixir. Be sure to journal everything you can about how the elixir makes you feel, what you think its energetic actions are, where it sits in your energy body, and any and all impressions, insights, symbols, visions, and memories it presents to you:
Week One of Moon Three: Immerse yourself in the lunar elixir by taking it every day, reflecting upon how it makes you feel, and journaling all of the insights that come to you when you meditate upon the energies of the elixir.
Week Two of Moon Three: Continue to take the lunar elixir daily, but this week spend time experiencing and comparing the energetic impact of wormwood as an essence, and wormwood as a magical herb that you burn, as detailed in Chapter 4. Again, reflect upon how each makes you feel, and journal all of the insights that come to you when you meditate upon the energies of the elixir and the energies of the herb itself.
Week Three of Moon Three: Continue to take the lunar elixir daily, but this week spend time researching the medicinal, folkloric, and magical uses of wormwood, beginning with the information provided in Part Three of this book. Compare your findings this week with your direct experiences, being sure to journal all of the insights and connections you’ve made.
Week Four of Moon Three: Continue to take the lunar elixir daily, but this week meditate upon the mythic portion of the month and reflect upon the ways in which the energies of wormwood are related to the present portion of Ceridwen’s tale, and how it helps you to build a relationship with Ceridwen herself.
End of Moon Reflections: Under what circumstances could you see yourself using the Wormwood Elixir in support of your work and personal process? If you had to describe the actions of this lunar elixir using one word, what would it be? What about using one sentence? What about using a whole paragraph? Again, be sure to journal everything.